Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The UglyWritten by Rich Rodriguez Monday, 17 December 2012

The Good

Ryan Tannehill - possibly his best statistical day as a pro. Tannehill completed an astounding 78% of his passes for 220 yards and two TDs. He finished with a quarterback rating of 123.2, his highest of the season. He also contributed 52 yards with his legs, basically accounting for 70% of the Dolphins yards from scrimmage. If Tannehill wants to offer a glimmer of hope for the future, now's the time. He's an "arrow up" player right now, although he's definitely had his fluctuations all year long.

Reggie Bush - his best game in a while with 104 yards on the ground and a long of 53.

Anthony Fasano - his best game in a while as well, with 6 catches for 56 yards and 1 TD, as well as a reception on a 2 point conversion. Where has this been all season?

Brian Hartline - congratulations to Hartline on a 1000 yard season. This has been a breakout year for Hartline, who has shown improvement every season. The one negative was the dropped touchdown. Hartline has had a couple of these this season and his stats would look a lot better if he had hauled those touchdowns in.

Chris Clemons had a nice day from the safety spot, coming up with 10 tackles.

Kevin Burnett contributed 8 tackles and a sack.

Jared Odrick continues to show up late in the season, sacking Henne one time and getting 3 QB hits on him. Odrick has 3 sacks in the past four games after getting 2 sacks in the first 10 games.

The Bad

Not a lot of bad in this game, just the Ryan Tannehill fumble. Not much to complain about when you win 24-3.

The Ugly

I guess the ugly fact here is that we played a very bad team, well on their way to the 1st overall pick in the draft. But a win is a win.

Overall

Even though the Dolphins are not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, they are more than likely sitting at home during the post season. Some fans argue this is the time to tank games and get better draft position, but others probably feel they want to see the team show some improvement going into next season. At this point, the games really are meaningless for the Dolphins, but from my point of view the one important thing is how Tannehill does. If he can finish the year out strong, it will build his confidence and his standing in the locker room.

Seattle just hung FIFTY over Buffalo. No reason they shouldn't come to Miami and not get lit up by Tannehill. Do you know if Bess will be active? Who played in the slot against JAX? I couldn't watch the game, was out of town.

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Mon Dec 17, 2012 8:24 am

10acjed

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

AFCMiamiEast wrote:

Seattle just hung FIFTY over Buffalo. No reason they shouldn't come to Miami and not get lit up by Tannehill. Do you know if Bess will be active? Who played in the slot against JAX? I couldn't watch the game, was out of town.

They mixed it up, Fasano & Hartline had 11 catches, then 6 players had the other 11. Mathews, Moore, Thigpen, Clay, Lane, Miller.

Everyone except Reggie was involved in the passing game.. I am beginning to think Reggie & RT are not in sync with the passing plays. Has to be some reason they dont get him involved more..

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Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:05 am

Rich

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

10acjed wrote:

Everyone except Reggie was involved in the passing game.. I am beginning to think Reggie & RT are not in sync with the passing plays. Has to be some reason they dont get him involved more..

Reggie had two drops in the game.

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Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:08 am

swerve13

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

the playcalling won this game. They got creative and they let Tannehill loose. He shoulda had 4 touchdowns.

Mon Dec 17, 2012 11:32 am

Rock Sexton

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

swerve13 wrote:

the playcalling won this game. They got creative and they let Tannehill loose. He shoulda had 4 touchdowns.

Keep in mind who they were playing ...... but ya, the playcalling was more what I've been harping for. Although I was pissed they went turtle and kicked a freakin FG deep in the redzone instead of trying to convert a 4th and 1 ..... th Jags were literally doing nothing against our defense all day long so I don't get why they can't show some balls. Especially considering we're not going to the playoffs.

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Mon Dec 17, 2012 11:55 am

dolphinjim

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

great write up, as always!

Get the kid a playmaker!

Mon Dec 17, 2012 11:56 am

Kev1321

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The fake FG was pretty ugly.....I counted atleast 4 passes dropped. Tanny would have had an incredible day

Mon Dec 17, 2012 1:31 pm

Rich

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Kev1321 wrote:

The fake FG was pretty ugly.....I counted atleast 4 passes dropped. Tanny would have had an incredible day

One of the dropped passes would have been a Hartline touchdown. Another one would have been a big gain for Rishard Matthews.

Yeah if those passes are caught, Tannehill's numbers are ridiculous.

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Mon Dec 17, 2012 1:34 pm

Dphins4me

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Rich wrote:

Another one would have been a big gain for Rishard Matthews.

Are you referring to the one where Matthews had to jump & extend for it?

Mon Dec 17, 2012 2:18 pm

Rich

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Dphins4me wrote:

Rich wrote:

Another one would have been a big gain for Rishard Matthews.

Are you referring to the one where Matthews had to jump & extend for it?

Yes, got two hands on it, still a drop.

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Mon Dec 17, 2012 5:42 pm

Phins Rock

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Rich wrote:

Dphins4me wrote:

Rich wrote:

Another one would have been a big gain for Rishard Matthews.

Are you referring to the one where Matthews had to jump & extend for it?

Yes, got two hands on it, still a drop.

I think Thigpen's was a drop. Hartline's wasn't. Neither was Matthews, to me.

Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:54 pm

wkloiber13

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

I guess Tannehill's knee brace just came off this week. On the Dolphins official website there is an interview with Brian Hartline from after the game. In the interview Hartline says that Tannehill trotted up to him before the game and told him he felt like a Clydsdale without the brace (possibly hinting he was going to be running around a lot more than usual).

Perhaps the lack of movement from Tannehill the past month or so has something to do with the knee/brace? Maybe now we'll see the playbook open up since Tannehill is feeling 100% again?

Mon Dec 17, 2012 7:25 pm

FrustratedFinFan

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Hartline and Thigpen should have caught those passes....but the pass to Matthews was high and behind him. It was a bad throw. Respectable game from Tanny though, especially using his feet to make big plays.

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Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:12 pm

wkloiber13

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

FrustratedFinFan wrote:

Hartline and Thigpen should have caught those passes....but the pass to Matthews was high and behind him. It was a bad throw. Respectable game from Tanny though, especially using his feet to make big plays.

We left a lot of big plays on the field, even on defense we missed quite a few potential INTs.

Tue Dec 18, 2012 12:09 am

swerve13

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Rich wrote:

Kev1321 wrote:

The fake FG was pretty ugly.....I counted atleast 4 passes dropped. Tanny would have had an incredible day

One of the dropped passes would have been a Hartline touchdown. Another one would have been a big gain for Rishard Matthews.

Yeah if those passes are caught, Tannehill's numbers are ridiculous.

there were 2 dropped touchdowns. I believe Marlon Moore was the other drop.

Tue Dec 18, 2012 12:13 am

Rich

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Phins Rock wrote:

Hartline's wasn't. Neither was Matthews, to me.

The pass to Hartline hit him right in the bread basket. How is that not a drop?

And the pass to Matthews was of the same kind as the one Tony Gonzalez caught for a touchdown. Sometimes receivers need to make plays too. If it hits both hands like that, it needs to be caught.

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Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:34 am

Rich

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

FrustratedFinFan wrote:

Hartline and Thigpen should have caught those passes....but the pass to Matthews was high and behind him. It was a bad throw. Respectable game from Tanny though, especially using his feet to make big plays.

The pass was high, because he had to throw it over the defender. It should have been caught.

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Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:34 am

Phins Rock

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Rich wrote:

Phins Rock wrote:

Hartline's wasn't. Neither was Matthews, to me.

The pass to Hartline hit him right in the bread basket. How is that not a drop?

And the pass to Matthews was of the same kind as the one Tony Gonzalez caught for a touchdown. Sometimes receivers need to make plays too. If it hits both hands like that, it needs to be caught.

I thought I remember the defender getting his hand in there to knock it out.

And that's why he's Tony Gonzalez, Rich. Hell of a catch I don't consider that a drop though.

Regardless, the throw could have been a little better.

Tue Dec 18, 2012 7:43 am

Rich

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Phins Rock wrote:

I thought I remember the defender getting his hand in there to knock it out.

Replay showed it bounced off Hartline's chest.

Quote:

And that's why he's Tony Gonzalez, Rich. Hell of a catch I don't consider that a drop though.

Regardless, the throw could have been a little better.

Two hands on the ball should equal a catch. That ball was very catchable. I have kids on our flag football team that make those high catches all the time.

A lot of throws could be a little better. The receivers have to help their QB out. Not everything throw is going to be perfect.

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Tue Dec 18, 2012 7:49 am

swerve13

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Rich wrote:

Phins Rock wrote:

Hartline's wasn't. Neither was Matthews, to me.

The pass to Hartline hit him right in the bread basket. How is that not a drop?

And the pass to Matthews was of the same kind as the one Tony Gonzalez caught for a touchdown. Sometimes receivers need to make plays too. If it hits both hands like that, it needs to be caught.

exactly!

Tue Dec 18, 2012 10:26 am

Dphins4me

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Rich wrote:

Yes, got two hands on it, still a drop.

I'd struggle calling that a drop. I'm not sure how an official stat person rules what is & isn't a drop, but just wanted to know if that was the one being referenced.

Tue Dec 18, 2012 10:50 am

Phins Rock

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Rich wrote:

Phins Rock wrote:

I thought I remember the defender getting his hand in there to knock it out.

Replay showed it bounced off Hartline's chest.

This isn't video, but watching the video it looked to me like the defender got his hand in there.

Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:27 pm

Rich

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Phins Rock wrote:

This isn't video, but watching the video it looked to me like the defender got his hand in there.

They showed replay of it live, from different angles.

It was a drop, the hand never got in there.

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Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:39 pm

wkloiber13

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Re: Dolphins 24, Jaguars 3 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Rich wrote:

Phins Rock wrote:

This isn't video, but watching the video it looked to me like the defender got his hand in there.

They showed replay of it live, from different angles.

It was a drop, the hand never got in there.

I agree, the ball hit him square between the numbers and he never got his hands on it. The still shot that was posted probably showed the ball after it had already bounced off of his chestplate. That's the problem with Hartline, he lets way too many balls get into his body. He's dropped more than one big play this year because he does that.